UAE wins seat at ICAO Council elections

MONTREAL, 5th October, 2016 (WAM) -- The UAE was re-elected to the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, in elections held on October 4th in Montreal, Canada. This represents the UAE’s fourth consecutive term on the ICAO Council following previous election wins in 2007, 2010 and 2013. The win comes as a result of the UAE’s successful election campaign during the ICAO’s 39th session of its triennial assembly that was run by the GCAA in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The UAE received the highest total votes for part 3 of the election. Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy and Chairman of the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority, said, "This is considered a major achievement for the UAE and its advanced civil aviation sector. It is another milestone that cements the UAE’s position as a leader in the aviation industry. The election victory motivates the GCAA to continue to innovate to implement the world’s best practices in safety and security whilst introducing more environment initiatives. "The UAE plays an extremely active role in the civil aviation industry worldwide, which has gained it the trust of ICAO members. The UAE is committed to continuing to work alongside the ICAO and its member states to implement important changes to strengthen the aviation industry." Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director General of the UAE GCAA, commented on the win, saying, "The UAE’s election victory confirms our country’s leading and solid global position in the aviation industry; it proves that our continuous efforts to extend bridges of cooperation with the international aviation community are paying off. We are extremely proud of this achievement and it only puts further responsibility on our shoulders to contribute to the enhancement of the aviation industry worldwide." Winning a seat in the council gives an opportunity to serve on the ICAO Council for another term. The ICAO Council is the governing body of the organisation. ICAO's 191 member states and a large number of international organisations are invited to the Triennial Assembly, which establishes the worldwide policy of the organisation for the following three years. The UAE joined the ICAO in 1972 and ran for a seat on the council in 2007, being nominated again for consecutive terms in 2010 and 2013. The UAE is an active player in the organisation, which is reflected by its chairmanship of a number of specialised committees and membership of a number of committees. (Emirates News Agency, WAM) http://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates/1395300751087.html